Jeff's 150 Build - The Salt Box

[CastAway]

Thanks Justin.

 

[CastAway]

Suction strainers, in....

 

[CastAway]

Got it all level.

 

[Rothgar]

Just amazing! Can't wait to see more.

 

[CastAway]

Just amazing! Can't wait to see more.

Thanks!

 

[CastAway]

Slow but sure. Worked on mounting the power supply tonight. Made room for a second strip, as I'm sure I'll need one. All eight of these are already to be used.

 

[CastAway]

Also got the pump mounting bosses finished and in place. The one raises the pump suction center-line even with the bulkhead center-line. I was going to glue them, but the one for the main circulation pump is pretty solid as is. I was thinking I'd Velcro the smaller skimmer one down, just for added flexibility in case I want to move it easily later. I used 5mm craft foam to minimize vibration, and coated the wood with the same counter-top finish I used throughout.

 

[larangcon]

Bro, you definitely have skill, tank is looking great, don't worry about filling her up, just keep up the good work you're doing great, your plan design is awesome.

 

[CastAway]

Thanks larangcon. I appreciate that.:smile:

 

[CastAway]

Worked on the drain piping to sump/filter bags last night.

 

[CastAway]

Made myself a water change appliance as well. Have 10% and 20% lengths. Will supplement with the 3/4" strainers as well. One less thing....

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

plumbing looks great. wish i did the same thing. how does your appliance above going to work?

 

[CastAway]

I copied a couple similar water change syphon's that I saw here on R2R. It's designed to syphon down to a specific depth before the syphon breaks. This depth represents a specific gallonage. In my tank, 3.25" below the slots in the overflow weir is approximately 10% of the total volume. So, I would turn off or bypass the display tank circulation, let the water level fall to it's non-circulating level, then start the syphon into a bucket (Brute trash can). Ten percent would come out and the syphon will break. Then I just replace the water, using the same appliance in reverse, hooked up to a small power head in my bucket of fresh salt water, and wallah. I turn the circulation back on and I'm done with the water change. I did not glue the fittings on the inside of the tank, so I can increase the depth before the syphon breaks, for example to 20%, if I miss a week. I never asked, but I hope this is how folks are using what I've seen.

 

[CastAway]

Not much progress lately. Discouraging. I did cut up some egg crate, and made a screen for the downstream side of my refugium, to try and prevent large pieces of macro from passing through to the circulation pump suction. Don't want to impede flow, or create a maintenance item, but thought something made more sense than nothing.

 

[powers2001]

That's a lot of clean work.

 

[CastAway]

Thanks!

 

[Beradd]

wow. your amazing attention to detail on this build will benefit you in the long run. nice work.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Very nice build. Looks like you are thinking things through well. I know it seems like it takes forever to get all the details sorted out, but in a couple of years you will not remember all the work that went into setting it up, but you will still be reaping the benefits of setting it up right the first time. Keep up the good work. This one is going to really nice.

 

[CastAway]

I can't wait (I obviously can and will wait) until I can quit thinking about the build and can start thinking more intently on a testing and maintenance regimen; oh yeah, AND STOCKING! So close, but yet so far.

 

[CastAway]

I designed my stand such that I would have a small area that could serve as a work surface, for water testing, fragging, whatever. In the long term, I thought that it might be an area for another smaller tank, quarantine or a frag tank. Anyway, for the work surface I plan to use some pencil tile and mosaic style tile, and finally bought a sample to visualize what it may look like. Once the stand is skinned, I think it'll look good.